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Wayne Coyne Reminisces About '90210' Appearance 15 Years Later

This year marks the 15th anniversary of one of the '90s most memorable pop culture moments -- Oklahoma indie stars the Flaming Lips paying a visit to the gang of the original 'Beverly Hills, 90210' at the Peach Pit. Lips frontman Wayne Coyne tells Spinner the band still gets recognized for it. "I run into people all the time who've seen that show in reruns," he says.

Now, of course, it's a moment the band can laugh about but Coyne admits it almost didn't happen. "We'd already been a band for 10 years," he says. "But I think earlier on we probably would have just scoffed at it and said, 'We're not into this silliness. We're a serious band, we do art and we do music and f--- you.' But I think we were starting to embrace the kind of absurd extras that come with being in a rock band because really that's where all the fun is, to tell you the truth."

What prompted the trip down memory lane -- via Rodeo Drive -- was another encounter the band had recently with mainstream acceptance when their song, 'Do You Realize,' was named the state rock song of Oklahoma. To rank the occasion alongside '90210' and the band's appearance a few years ago on a float in the Rose Parade, Coyne compared them to different levels of fame. "I guess you'd have to divide the categories up: there's the category of just making music and being an artist and then there's the category of sort of being famous in typical rock 'n' roll sort of ways and then there's the category of just plain absurd," Coyne says. "I suppose if you're Garth Brooks, being in a parade and having the state rock song would probably just fall into the normal things. But being in the Flaming Lips, being in the Rose Bowl parade is utterly absurd. We know -- what are we doing here with this sort of mainstream stuff?"

And it all started in Beverly Hills. "It was absurd, it was kind of humiliating, it was kind of fun, it was kind of ridiculous," Coyne says. "The episode proved to be all that."

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donjapplejr

I saw a documentary black and white movie that I think the Flaming Lips made back when they were kids. Maybe it just had some old footage of when they were kids. Anyway it was real cool. I think it was on the Sundance channel. But it gave more appreciation for the band.Think of what you've been through in the last 25 years, and then so I'm glad they are still playing.

June 20 2009 at 4:10 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
greentire23

Anyone who thinks the Flaming Lips suck should listen to their take on Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" on the Killer Queen tribute disc. Unlike some of the other bands who defecate on Queen's glorious legacy...the Flaming Lips manage to make Freddie Mercury proud with their ultra-bombastic take on this song, especially the opera portion in the middle.

June 20 2009 at 1:56 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ajax

Okay...I can see how being on 90210 would be humiliating....but not for a band who lent a song to a freakin' salad dressing commercial. I still like them, but now I can't listen to the Yeah Yeah Yeah Song without thinking of tomatoes and freakin' croutons...

June 20 2009 at 1:32 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Heather

The sheer ignorance of most of the comments I see on these featured stories never ceases to amaze me. I agree with those of you who have commented with similar outlooks on this. First of all- when did we become a society in which it is acceptable to be unable to form a coherent sentence? I'm 20, so my generation is a big part of the problem, but oddly enough I can communicate with complete words and sentences. It takes very little effort, honestly. Secondly- Is it really necessary to describe a band you've never heard of and/or don't care to read about as "gay" or go on about how nobody cares? I'm not much of a fan of theirs either, but I saw a show they played once and it was phenomenal to say the least. Someone does care, or else this article wouldn't exist. It's all about respect people.

June 20 2009 at 1:16 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
dani

A shame more people have not heard of The Flaming Lips. they put on an awesome and fun show. some people just don't know how to have fun anymore. I'll be seeing them this summer.

June 20 2009 at 1:03 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to dani's comment
persondude

where are they playing?? i think they are amazing :)

June 20 2009 at 3:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
MW

Flaming Lips had a huge hit back in the 90's with the song "She Don't Use Jelly." I never got into the band and I don't know any of their songs except that one,however,that's not any reason to be a jerk. This is a cool day for those that are fans of this band, so they should be able to read this article and comment and enjoy themselves without being subjected to immature rants. If you don't like the band or you're not interested in what they have to say,move on! Go read something else. There's no need to hang around posting comments that don't make sense. My 11-year-old cousin could express himself better than some here.

June 20 2009 at 1:00 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mpb91397

I live in Oklahoma. I think it is stupid that the state has an offical rock song, and it is from this lame a** band!!

June 20 2009 at 12:16 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Brian

what the hell is wrong with AOL posting on groups no one cares about or has heard of The Flameing Lips names got to be the lamest name in rock history why not just call it we have flames in our name so we are cool. This bad sucks ash I would rather eat the rotton ash hole from a road killed skunk and was it down the warm beer while a horny rhino makes love to my ear...

Gotta love AOL given time to sucky bands no one has heard of since 1990....

June 20 2009 at 12:02 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Brian's comment
causeIsaidso

You have a choice on what to read, something must have sparked your interest enough to clik on the story to begin with. So why read it and then complain cause aol posted it to begin with? If you don't want to hear about a band you don't know, don't read it. If you are interested in finding out something you didn't know then read it and be glad for the opportunity to expand your horizons. If you read it just to complain that everything everyone writes just sucks, you need to get a life.

June 20 2009 at 1:35 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
greentire23

"what the hell is wrong with AOL posting on groups no one cares about or has heard of"

First of all, punctuation helps us to understand you better. So, use some. Secondly, AOL posts on groups you never heard of because that is called "advertising," and it's how a group like the Backstreet Boys goes from unknowns you've never heard of (or cared about, for that matter) to worldwide pop sensations. AOL has to promote groups. They get paid by record companies to sell sell sell...hardly a waste of time or effort.

June 20 2009 at 1:52 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
cheriredgal

Honestly, I really enjoy reading different stories that interest me (in a good or bad way) and then being able to comment about them....I just wish everyone had the common sense and decency to simply comment by using decent language, humor, charisma, sincerity or whatever way you share your opinion....I don't care what your writing style is or what your opinion is because we are all different and of course do not all like the same things but there is a decent way to say negative opinions/comments. A perfect example is the first post by Rick - ok, he has never heard of the Flaming Lips therefore he has never heard of Wayne Coyne so why the immature, stupid and rude post? If you don't know who they are, first why did you read it? Ok, I give you reading it because you can learn something by it...more so then why make a stupid rude comment? Now if I never heard of them and read this article I'd probably either just say ok and move on or if it interested me I'd look up the show and the band, sample thier music. What if you like their music? Maybe not but still, why the childish stupidity? Grow up and comment like a human. I don't care if your opinion differs from mine, actually that is great because I can either learn something maybe I didn't know or I can keep my own opinion but why say something RUDE just because YOU don't like them? There are obviously millions of people who do so what makes it ok to insult the band and the people who like them? No opinion is correct, it is a simple personal choice that is no better than anyone elses so deal with it - make your opinion known in a decent way and move on. I'd rather read someone who has a completely different opinion than mine if they present it in a decent way than someone who agrees with me but is an idiot and writes rudely. Don't you people know difference is what makes the world? How boring it would be if we all felt the same. Grow up and learn to enjoy!

June 19 2009 at 11:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to cheriredgal's comment
Hugh Jassol

Listen up, sweet. If four paragraphs comprises a "story" for you, don't bother to start 'War and Peace'. It would take you a lifetime.

June 20 2009 at 12:56 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Keith Kidd

Listen to the WAND from the Flaming Lips. Great tune!

June 19 2009 at 11:21 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply